The pickups assigned to different positions of the toggle switch on electric guitars are pre-set by the manufacturer, and fine-tuning them requires disassembling the soldering iron and doing a lot of experimentation. HyperSwitch uses the power of your smartphone and Bluetooth connectivity to simplify the process.
The brainchild of renowned pickup innovator Seymour Duncan and “the result of considerable research and development,” the Active 5-Way Blade Switch is reportedly compatible with most passive pickups, giving players a companion can be used to configure, save, and recall custom pickup assignments. A mobile app running on a smartphone and wirelessly connected to his HyperSwitch via Bluetooth.
Installation seems pretty easy, but you may need to enlist the help of a guitar technician before you can take full control of your tone. In most cases, all connections are made via screw terminals, but if the ground wire is cut during installation, you will need a soldering iron.
The patent-pending HyperSwitch is powered by a 9V battery and using a mobile app, players can not only assign pickups to any position on the switch, but also change the humbucker’s active coil or change polarity. You can also. Seymour Duncan boasts that three humbucker rocking guitars can be configured in hundreds of different ways.
Players benefit from intuitive on-screen visuals, so they don’t have to follow wiring diagrams for custom reconfigurations. Tweaks are stored in the switch’s memory, so once the assignment is made the Bluetooth connection can be disconnected and the signal path remains all analog.
HyperSwitch is available now for US$149 and the app can be downloaded for free from the Apple Store or Play Store. There are more videos below.
Seymour Duncan Announces HyperSwitch™
Product Page: Seymour Duncan HyperSwitch
